1. Field of the invention:
The instant invention relates to the distribution, either incorporated into a, generally video, program signal (e.g., in the vertical blanking interval (“VBI”) or other portion of the signal not devoted to program information, of the associated or a previous frame) or via a separate channel, of human and/or artificial intelligently generated auxiliary information. The auxiliary information is used to selectively record and/or display one of several subsets of program segments. These subsets comprise options that are progressively abstracted, alternatively rated, selectively limited to particular subject matter, or otherwise diverse versions of the program material. A settop box, advanced, digital or HDTV television, multimedia computer, or other similar device, records and/or displays the selected subset of program segments under control of the auxiliary information and user input.
2. Description of Related Art:
Those who practice the instant invention are those familiar with, and skilled in, arts such as: electrical, electronic, systems, computer, digital, communications (e.g., digital and analog communications network, telephone, audio, video, radio, television, broadcast, cable, etc.) and other related hardware and software engineering and design disciplines; media technology; production, programming and editing of computer media, interactive media, multimedia, computer graphic and animation, video, audio and other media; interactive media and human interface design; artificial intelligence, neural networks, expert systems, fuzzy logic, etc.; image processing, sound processing, speech recognition and pattern recognition; etc. Nevertheless, the inventive matter does not constitute these arts in and of themselves, and the details of these arts are within the public domain and the ken of those skilled in the arts.
The instant disclosure will not dwell on the details of system implementation in such arts but will, instead, focus on the novel designs of: systems, data structures, interfaces, processes, functions and program flows, and the novel purposes for which these are utilized.
The instant application relies on the existence of well-known systems and components including, but not limited to: personal computers; multimedia systems; systems used for the production and broadcasting or cablecasting of analog and digital media including television, multimedia and interactive media; the use of VBI, SAP and other ‘piggybacked’ signals; delivery of information via communications networks, including the internet optical and magnetic recording of analog and digital signals, including computer and video information; settop boxes, advanced, digital and HDTV televisions, multimedia computers, and other consumer electronic devices including TiVo, Replay, the ‘V-Chip’, etc.; professional and home Intercast (VBI insertion/detection) equipment; ‘digital video library’ and other multimedia access and search systems; and, other related devices and technologies, and those which may be substituted for them. In fact, consumer devices now available, such as TiVo, with little to no modification, provide all the necessary elements, except some additional software control functions, to perform many of the embodiments, as described herein; and, the necessary modifications and/or additions are within those skilled in the appropriate arts.
The intended scope of the instant invention also includes the combination with other related technologies, now in existence or later developed, which may be combined with, or substituted for, elements of the instant invention.